Process of finishing animal filaments, fibers, or threads.



in order to bring it the time otherwise required; these as aconsiderableincrease in its strength.

' 1-30 Drawing.

a round device for a considerable length of HANNS R. ANDEES, OF PERTHAMBOY, NEW

HASSLACEEB CHEMICAL 60., 0! NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

'PEQCESS OI FINISHING ANIMAL EILAMENTS, FIBERS, 0R THREADS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jami. 1911. '3. Applicationfiled December 10, 1914,. Serial No. 878,591.

ea set.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HANNS R. Anonas, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, and a resident of the city of Perth Amboy, county ofMiddlesex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes of Finishing Animal Filaments, Fibers, orThreads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially. to the treatment of animal filaments,fibers or threads, such as for instance, human hair, to be used for hairgoods, by formaldehyde, and the object of the invention is to substitutefor the cumbersome agents commonly used an agent that shall beeconomical and efiective in disposing the hair to shape into lastingforms, as may be desired, and will have no injurious effect upon thesame.

I have discovered that formaldehyde is such an agent and that when it isbrought into contact with hair, for example, in a suitable manner, at aproper degree of both concentration and temperature and for a sufiicientlength of time, it will bring the hair into a superior condition byrestoring its natural luster and will render it fit to take a. desiredform such as curls, waves, etc, so that it will compare favorably withhair naturally displaying the desired properties.

Hair in its natural condition is usually a more or less straightfilament or thread and into a desired form, as for instance curls, ithas theretofore been treated since time immemorial by certain processes,as for instance by rolling it upon glass; etc, and submerge it, at theusual temperature, in a commercial formaldehyde solution, which ifrequired, is somewhat diluted with water. a

' The time the formaldehyde solution is allowed to act upon the hair isnaturally dependent on various factors; for instance the and previoustreatment with chemicals all play a part in this particular. I may saythat usually an immersion for from about two to fortyminutes issuflicient to obtain the desired result. After the hair isjtakeli out ofthe solution it may be rinsed with water and dried in the open air, orby gentle heat, as the situation may require.

The advantages of my new process for improving hair are veryconsiderable.

The luster of the hair is restored to its full natural brilliancy andthe strength of the hair is considerably increased so that it Even ifthe strength of the hair has been impaired by treatment with chemicals,especially byalkalis, which arevery often applied in both bleaching anddyeing the hair, the damage done to the hair is completely repaired bythe new stability conveyed to it by my process. p

In processes for improving the hair by certain means exerting only aphysical action on the hair, as for instance b heating it, it isextremely difiicult to contro the same to achieve a uniform efiect forin most cases the heat can not act evenly on the hair, some arts beingoverheated and others show no e ect at all. It is remarkable furthermorethat one can not well apply heat to bleached hair, either in the dry orwet state, in order to curl the same for instance, inasmuch as thebleached hair thereby assumes a glossy and coarse appearance.

a curl, waves, etc.

time, simultaneously resorting to the application of various auxiliarymeans, for'in stance heat from various sources, to shorten processeshave been only partly successful.

I have now found thatl can avoid all the shortcomings of the oldprocesses, by the ap plicationof formaldehydeto the hair, whereings areentirely avoided and furthermore y the same is given a natural luster aswell I obtain this desirable result in. a considerably'shorter time thanis possibleby any of the old processes. Furthermore, m new process,applies not only to human hair but also to an other animal. hair,filament, thread or etc,

For the better understandingnf my invention I shall describe by way ofxample, one. wager? carrying out my new process.

this preferred method of carrying out my inventmn I wind the hair upon around JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROESSIIER &

will retain the preferred shape, for instance- By my new process,however, such shortcom-.

er, as for instance to wool, silk,

stick of suitable material, for instance wood,

thickness of the hair, its content of moisture v is a further advantageof only be derived the example, but I may,

it is by no means necessary still on the anima application of gaseous Asalready pointed out above, the hair treated accordm to my inventionretains any preferred s ape given to the same, whether it is shaped intoa curl or into a more or less straight form. In certain in dustrialoperations a felt-like entanglement of hair or like material isundesirable and it my invention that one can often entirel .avoid orconsiderably reduce this feltin p enomenon b treating the hair'or the lie with formal ehyde according to my process, for then the hair will notstick together so easily.

As far as the curling of hair is concerned that the hair be loose and ifdesirable my process may also be easily and readily app ied to hair 1hide.

It is of course understood that the action of formaldehyde referred toabove may not from the commercial formaldehyde solution especiallyvmentioned in if desired, also use a solution of anhydrous formaldehydein another suitable solvent, gaste or salve, or a polymer of formaldehydehyde compound, splitting up into anhydrous formaldehyde when eated,either in its common form or also if preferred in combination with asuitable vehicle of whatever form.

Though probably not so conveniently, the results of m process offinishing hair will finally also e obtained, as I am convinced on theground of experiments, by the action gaseous formaldehyde on wet hair,and the e or anyformalformaldehyde is I therefore also within the scopeof my invention.

I claim:

1. The process of changing the form of animal filaments, fibers orthreads, consisting in giving the same the desired form and subse uentlytreating it with formaldehyde.

2. he process of changing the form of animal filaments, fibers orthread, consisting in giving the same the desired form and subsequentlytreating it in the wet state with formaldehyde. I i

3. The process of changing the form of animal filaments, fibers orthreads, consisting in giving the same the desired form and subsequentlytreatin it with an aqueous solution of formalde yde.

41. The process of curling human'hairinto lasting forms, consisting ingiving the hair the desired form and subsequently treating it withformaldehvde.

5. The process of curling human hair into lasting forms, consisting ingiving the hair the desired form and subsequentl treating it in the wetstate with formal ehyde.

6. The process of curling human hair into lasting forms, consisting ingiving the hair the desired form and subse uently treating it with anaqueous solution 0 formaldehyde.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in ing witnesses.

I HANNS R. ANDERS. Witnesses:

' ARTHUR L. Gannnna,

Orro K, Zwmonnennona.

the presence of two subscrib-'

